


For You I Will Fight

by Toothless06



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F, F/M, Lesbian Character, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-07
Updated: 2016-02-07
Packaged: 2018-05-18 17:22:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5936662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toothless06/pseuds/Toothless06
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A time when humans are to be wiped out because they are thought to be useless due to their injuries, weakness, and diseases.  The end of humanity is on the brink of disappearing.  What's the solution?  An Underground society that has been training and working in the background for thousands of years.  The War on humanity begins now and with that the journey of love and friendship will be tested.  Which side will you be on?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Italics = telepathic communication  
> Mon etoile = my star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction to the main character.. gets more exciting by chapter 3/4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics = telepathic communication/texting

          This is bad.  It’s 7:00PM and I am already 2 hours late.  I am not going to hear the end of this from my troops or Crys for that matter.  I can just imagine her giving me a whole lecture on setting an example for everyone else and _blah, blah, blah._   Just thinking about it makes me chuckle.  Oh well, nothing I can do except let her lecture me. 

          My name is Laurel Rae Lopez Knight.  I am a 25 year old female who is a commissioned First Sergeant of the Elite force of the Guardian Society.  The Society is one secretly funded by the governments of the world and other influential members of society.  The members of the Society are what you call secret agents, but we are not affiliated with only one country.  It is more like we are the secret agents of the entire planet.  These secret agents are known as Guardians who train day in and day out to sharpen their skills.  Guardians are trained in archery, sword fighting, various martial arts styles, medicinal skills, and to endure most styles of torture.

         The Society has several locations spread throughout the world known as the _Underground_.  Each base is like a huge country underneath the ocean’s surface.  Meaning there are homes, shops, entertainment centers, streets, wildlife, etc. It is enclosed in several layers of thick glass, which can withstand the pressure of the ocean.  The sky of the _Underground_ is of the ocean life swimming about.  Just staring at the sight makes you forget about your troubles and worries.  It’s much better than staring into a sky full of fluffy clouds or shining stars.

         As I said before, the society is funded by the governments of the world.  This means that Guardians don’t have to pay a single penny for anything.  We just have to show our Guardian bracelets to the person at the register and they will scan it.  I guess it can be considered a microchip credit card.  It is very handy in a rush or when you’re dating someone.

         In the _Underground_ scanning the bracelet reveals the identity of the wearer.  Each bracelet is linked to the veins within our wrists so the unique properties of our blood will show our true identities regardless if our physical appearance is different.  This prevents an imposter or civilian from entering the _Underground_ without the permission of a Guardian.

         These bracelets are computerized and can be used for medicinal purposes such as administering medication or sedatives.  It can even lock and unlock doors, so we don’t need physical keys anymore.  It also allows us Guardians to communicate telepathically or project an image for another member to see.  Only downfall is that it can show our location at all times so we can never hide or go somewhere without permission even if we wanted to.

         Other than not paying for anything, we also get to own a set of houses in the _Underground_ and have a house in the _Aboveground_ at the same time.  We are told that this will be beneficial later on.  The greatest part of being a Guardian is that higher education, or college, is not needed!  And we don’t need to work since the government pays for everything we want or need.  So I could go on a vacation to Florida with expenses paid for by the government.

         Enough about my career and more about my personal life.  As I said I am a 25 year old female.  I currently attend a university and am trying to become a surgeon and physical therapist.  I reside in Alaska, but moved from New York for school.  My parents and the rest of my family still reside in New York.  I visit them as often as I can.  I am the eldest child of Robert and Anna Lopez.  I have a younger brother named Jaxon who is in his senior year of high school.  I was in a 10 year relationship with a female named Aubrey Jayden Parker and that began in the year 2015.  It is now 2027 and we broke up almost 2 years ago.

         Aubrey is a wonderful person.  I fell in love with her because she always chose to see the good in people and manages to bring out the best in people.  Before I met her I was always quiet, shy, opinionated, rude, and quick to anger.  But the day she became a part of my life that all changed.  I learned how to laugh and make jokes.  I learned how to suppress my opinions and anger.  She was the best thing to happen in my life.  Aubrey has the largest heart I know.  She cares about everyone regardless if they wronged her.  She always has a smile on her face and tries to take on the problems of others. 

         Other than her personality, she also has a great figure.  She has light brown hair up to her shoulders and has beautiful sapphire eyes.  Her eyes are as blue as the deep ocean waters.  She stands at a height of 5’4 and a weighs 120 pounds.  That weight is due to her muscular build and breasts as large as grapefruits.  Aubrey’s muscular figure is due to her love of playing sports and running marathons.  Because of her personality and love for sports, I fell in love with her instantly.

         Unfortunately, I recently broke up with Aubrey.  As I look back to my reasons of why we broke up I find them stupid and naïve.  But in the end I still care for her because she was my best friend in the whole world.  Sadly, though, we don’t talk anymore.  We barely say hi to each other and when we do have a chance to talk we can’t find anything to talk about.  But there is one thing I realized during our time apart: she has a better life now and she’s happy.  If there’s anything I want in this world it would be that Aubrey is happy.

         Even though it’s been nearly two years since we broke up a part of me can’t just stop thinking about her.  Because of those feelings I sometimes take one of the longer routes to the _Underground_.  This route is about 30 minutes to an hour away from the nearest entrance to the _Underground_.  Although it is a longer route, I like taking it because I get to pass by Aubrey’s house and see her as she is sitting at the dining table near the window.  And today I felt like doing just this, which is why I’m running 2 hours late.  In the end it was worth it because we actually locked eyes and she gave me one of her “I miss you” smiles.  Lately I noticed she’s been trying to reconnect with me, but I am not ready for us to be in each other’s lives yet.

         I’ve arrived to the training grounds.  It looks like all units are present and waiting for their orders for the day.  I see a female figure running towards me who I assumed was Crys.  Before I knew it she began speaking to me telepathically.

_Laurel!  Wait for me!  I have to tell you something!_

_I don’t want to hear any lectures today Crys.  It will just take me a second to get ready and I’ll be there._

         I disregarded her last message by cutting off the connection and went straight for my office, which was on the other side of the field.  It took me about 5 minutes to reach it, but Crys still had not caught up to me.  I turned around and saw that Crys is where I was originally standing so I figured I had 5 minutes to change before she reaches my office.  I smile and turn the knob as my bracelet unlocked my office.

_Mon etoile! I said wait!_

         Hearing Crys use the French name that she gave me meant that something was wrong.  I was now nervous as to what awaited me on the other side of this door.  As I opened my office door the lights showed that Sergeant Major Marc Colins was sitting in my chair. 

_Shit, I’m screwed._

* * *

 

         _Knock Knock._

         “Enter.”

         “Father I have been assigned a mission tomorrow.  I would appreciate your blessing before my team and I head out.”

         “You have my blessing son.”

         “Thank you Father.”

         “Are you afraid Stanley?”

         “I am the son of a man who has conquered death.  I do not fear anything.”

         “Stanley, being my son does not mean you cannot fear anything.  Be brave, but do not be stupid.  Fear can be a weakness or strength.  However you wish to use your fear will define whether it strengthens or weakens you. Fear of death will strengthen you in the ways of survival.  Your willingness to survive will ensure that you return home.  Remember that son.”

         “Yes Father.”

        “You have been trained in the art of taking lives since you were small.  But that doesn’t mean you will be able to defeat all that you meet.  There will be people out there who can best you and even me.  Do not let your guard down.  The moment you leave this place, I can no longer protect you.  Remember that our mission is to rid this world of useless and weak human beings.  Take as many lives as you can and spare the few that you view as strong.  Tomorrow is a big day son, do not let me down.”

         “Yes Father.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Issues? Let me know...


	2. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introduction to a few more characters. Promise we will get to the more interesting parts soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Italics = telepathic communication/texting

         I hate Thursdays.  It is the longest day of the week for me.  My first class begins at 8:00AM and my last class doesn’t end until 2:00PM.  It may seem like a light schedule, but my day doesn’t end there.  I work at a nearby gym starting at 3:00PM and ending at 7:00PM.  Since I am a student I chose to work only part time, which is a total of four hours.  I could work more hours, but it would cost me my studies.  So I chose to stick with working only four hours a day for five days a week.

         As I am daydreaming about miscellaneous things someone’s cough brings my focus back to the real world.  I quickly look down at my notebook to see what the last thing I had written was.  Instead of finding the concept that my chemistry teacher was blabbing about, I found something else.  Something that would catch my attention anywhere in this world.  Somehow as I was daydreaming I had written down a date, 2/7/2015.  This was our date, mine and Laurel’s.  In an instant I am lost in memories of her.

         Laurel is 5’2” with straight light brown hair reaching to the middle of her back.  She has gunmetal grey eyes that shine bright even in the darkest of days.  She has a small nose, but that’s what she gets for being 100% Filipino.  She is of average weight with breasts the size of oranges and ass cheeks as round as grapefruits.  Laurel is athletic with martial arts being her favorite hobby.  Her legs are the strongest and most muscular part of her body.  Just thinking about her puts a huge smile on my face.

         One of her unique qualities is her smile.  Her smile gives off this feeling that she wants you to know that everything in her life is going as planned.  But when I look into her eyes, I can see the pain and frustration that she tries to hide from everyone.  She’s the kind of person that will take on her problems and yours as well without hesitation or complaints.  That’s what made me fall in love with her in the first place. 

         For dates we would explore all parts of Alaska and the world. We went to places such as California, Nevada, and Hawaii.  We didn’t stay in each place that long, maybe a week at the most.  Towards the end of our relationship, we would stay in five star hotels in rooms with the best view.  She would also bring me to the top restaurants and expensive tours.  I do not know how she was able to pay for these kinds of trips on a gym employee salary.  Anyways, during these trips I would spout out random street facts of the places we were vacationing in.  Laurel’s book smart, but not street smart.  Seeing her amazement and bewilderment when I would tell her these things made me smile.  Just as I am being consumed by these wonderful memories I receive a text on my phone. 

         I quickly grab my phone to see who it was. For some reason my heart is racing as I quickly input my code.  A large portion of me is hoping that it is Laurel, even though that would not be possible.  We ended things pretty messy so we haven’t spoken to one another for at least a year now.  I’ve been trying to reconnect with her, but there’s no response on her end.  I don’t blame her though because I hurt her pretty bad.

         As expected, it wasn’t Laurel.  Instead it was my best friend Leah Madison Saunders.  Leah’s been great during this difficult time in my life.  Laurel broke up with me because I was spending too much time with Leah and not enough time with her.  She was jealous and I could not handle her jealously anymore.  But then again, I did cheat on her twice before Leah came into the picture so I can see why she was acting the way she did.  I just wish she had trusted me more, but maybe I don’t deserve it after treating her the way I did.

         In the beginning of the breakup I didn’t think much of it because I thought we would get back together like we usually do.  Because of this I went out all the time to enjoy myself.  I noticed that during this time Laurel kept to herself.  She didn’t seem to go out with anyone or even herself for that matter.  It just looked like she kept to herself in what used to be our home.  Although she looked like she was focusing on school and work I could tell that her mind was elsewhere.

        As the weeks and months passed Laurel didn’t seem to get any better.  Instead she looked like she was getting worse.  She lost a lot of weight in a short amount of time, she always looked tired, and when I looked at her grades they were below average.  This was not normal for Laurel.  Laurel was always at the top of her class with honors.  Since I was worried about her I tried talking to her, but it was of no use.  She made excuses of not being able to talk to me, but even I knew they were lies. She even took extreme measures and requested to be transferred to a different department at work.  After months passed I tried snaking my way back into her life, but she wouldn’t let me in.

        Then one day I saw her with another female.  I saw her laughing and hanging out with this female all the time.  After the months of difficulty that I’m sure she had, she finally seemed happy.  I figured that this was best for her and didn’t try to push myself back into her life.  But by this point I missed her dearly and would do anything to be able to speak to her even for just a minute.

        Anyways, Leah was asking if she wanted to walk to work and home together.  She knows I work with Laurel today so she is just trying to be a supportive friend.  I text her back saying _sure._   Like I said, Leah has been a great help these past few months.  She’s helped me move on from a life I have been accustomed to living.  She has brought joy and happiness into my life when all seemed lost.  She introduced me to new things and helped me experience a part of life that I had been missing all this time.  I am thankful that she was brought into my life, but sometimes I still wonder if it was worth closing the door to a long time relationship. 

        I snap out of memories of the past as I hear textbooks being shut and students shuffling out of class.  Finally! Classes are done for the week!  I gather my things in a very organized, but quick manner and rush out the door.  As soon as I am out of the door, I close my eyes, raise my head towards the sky, and take a deep breath in.  Ahhh the smell of the weekend!  The air today seems to be composed of flowers, freshly cut grass, and a hint of honey.  To me, this outdoor scent is one of the most refreshing scents that exist.  As I am basking in the scent of freedom a familiar scent of lavender passes by.

        I look down just in time to see a familiar figure that my heart has been longing to see, _Laurel._   Just as I am reaching out to stop her from walking away, I feel a hand on my shoulder and someone saying, “Don’t.  It will just hurt the both of you even more.” 

        I turn around to see that it was Leah.  I knew she was right, but still I needed to talk to her.  I turned back around to where Laurel was walking away only to find that she was already gone.  Like I said before, there are many times in which I am grateful that Leah came into my life.  However, this wasn’t one of those times.  I wish I could have been able to talk to Laurel, even for just five minutes.  I shake this thought away and look back at Leah with a smile on my face trying to hide the disappointment I felt.

        Anyone who meets Leah instantly knows she’s not a native of this state. Her light brown skin tone and long jet black hair is proof of her Islander heritage.  Her skin is as smooth and tan as the sandy shores of Hawaii.  Her hair is jet black and flows all the way down to her butt.  Leah has kind and loving hazel eyes.  She’s 5’4” and has an average build for a female.  She is very athletic and loves to play volleyball and soccer.  We are the same age, which is 25 years old.  My birthday is in May and Leah’s is in February, which makes Leah older than me by about three months.

        Just like Laurel, what I love most about Leah is her smile.  When she smiles it’s as if nothing in the world ever bothers her.  That smile always finds a way to make me feel like the puzzle pieces of life will somehow fall into place.  There’s a part of my heart that has feelings for Leah, but there’s a stronger part of my heart that is still in love with Laurel. I don’t think I will ever get over Laurel because she was my first love.  I actually wish we were together again, but I know that ship sailed the moment I abandoned her.

        Sadly, I inflicted a wound deep within Laurel’s heart that all the time in the world may not be enough to heal it.  And just as I am about to lose myself in memories of the past, Leah gives me that smile I love so much and instantly I stop reminiscing.  She laughs, links arms with me, and shouts, “Let’s get you to work so our weekend can finally begin!”

        After 10 minutes of walking we finally reach our destination, the gym.  I told Leah I’ll see her after work, which was approximately 2 – 3 hours. She works here too, but not today.  She just came to keep me company.  Plus she wants to work out because she feels like she’s been gaining weight from eating out so much the past month.

         I made my way to the employees’ quarters so I could scan my badge.  The employees’ quarters are located towards the back of the gym.  It is placed in between the women’s and men’s locker rooms.  The area is pretty small since there aren’t many employees.  The lockers can be found towards the back of the room along the wall.  There are a total of at least 20 lockers. 

         We each have our own locker with an electronic lock.  I know for a fact that Laurel hasn’t changed her password.  I could easily punch in her code to look into her locker, but that would just be selfish of me.  Not to mention a little stalkerish.

         To the left of the room there is a board that shows who is working that day and in what department or area.  It also tells us when our breaks are within the shift.  A scanner can be found below this board and is where we scan our badges when we start and end our shift. 

         Other than the lockers there is a refrigerator, microwave, coffee machine, and long wooden table with eight chairs.  The kitchen appliances are on the counter to the right side of the entrance.  The table and chairs can be found in the middle of the room.  I don’t think we have ever filled all 8 chairs in one shift because there are not that many employees on break at the same time.  If anything, there are at the most 4 employees on break at the same time.

        Laurel and I use to have the same break, but after everything that has happened she requested to be moved into a different department.  And different departments have different break schedules.  Now hers is either before or after mine.  However, since Leah and I are in the same department we usually have the same break.

        As I look around I see that my co-workers Buster and Matt are on break.  I wave to them and make my way towards my locker.  I place my backpack and other belongings inside, while grabbing my work clothes.  My work clothes consist of a black polo and khakis.  The gym’s logo and name can be found largely on the back.  My name and position can be found on the right breast area at the front of the shirt.  This goes for everyone else who works at the gym.  The only difference is the color of our shirts. 

        Each department has an assigned color.  Those working the floor are assigned the color black, those working with children are assigned the color royal blue, and medics usually wear red.  I make my way towards the door that joins the women’s locker room and the break room.  I quickly change into my work clothes and put my street clothes back in my locker.  I scan my badge, nod to my co-workers and make my way towards my designated area.

         Like I said earlier, Laurel recently requested a department change.  Since her nephew Tristan, was born a pre-mature baby a year ago she has been in love with children.  So she requested to be moved from the gym floor to the gym daycare where all the children are.  The daycare is specifically for our patrons who want to exercise, but have nowhere to bring their children.  In the daycare the children can play, watch television, play board games, play on the mini jungle gym, play video games, read, sleep, eat, and do homework. 

         A part of me is glad she moved from the gym floor to the daycare because it gives her some sense of joy in her life.  But a part of me wonders whether she requested a department change because she didn’t want to interact with me in any way whatsoever.  Every day as I pass the glass door to the daycare I am given the chance to get a glimpse of her, which I take advantage of every single time.  When I peek into the daycare I can see how happy she is and it puts a smile on my face. I’m glad that even though we are going through this difficult time in our lives that she can still manage to enjoy life and be happy. 

          As I walk out of the employees’ quarters I decide to make my usual detour, which is dropping by the daycare.  Other than Laurel, my friend Claudine works in the daycare as well.  Once in a while I drop by and chat with her before I start my shift.  But my real intentions are to get a glance of Laurel and possibly even hear her laugh.  This may make me seem desperate, but that’s how much I miss her.  We were best friends before we hooked up and I miss the friendship that we had.

         I’m sure that if Leah saw me walking towards the gym she would stop me from going inside or even going past the daycare.  As much as Leah is a nice person, she hates Laurel’s guts.  She hates people who lay a physical hand on their loved one.  If that’s the case she should hate me too because I’ve laid a hand on Laurel multiple times.  There were times when Laurel couldn’t sleep on her back because of the bruises I had given her.  But none of that mattered now.  Nothing regarding us mattered now, we are nothing to one another. 

         With that thought running through my head I decided to just peek through the glass door of the daycare rather than go in.  As I peek inside, I see Laurel smiling as she is playing with a toddler.  That smile alone diminishes any longing feeling I had inside.  Because deep down I know that a smile seen from a distance is the most I’ll get from her now.

* * *

 

         After arriving at the gym, Aubrey went to the employee’s quarters to change and I headed to the volleyball courts.  I actually wasn’t in the mood to play volleyball today.  Soccer sounded more appealing, but this gym doesn’t have an indoor soccer field.  Like many gyms, this gym only has an outside soccer field.  Nowadays many soccer fields are made of astroturf instead of dirt.  This means that when it rains the players will not have to play in mud.  Even with a field like that not many people like to play on it the day after it rains.  That is the case today so I’m stuck with my second favorite sport, volleyball.

         Anyways, I was sitting near the door where I could see into the gym.  I was off to the side stretching my legs and arms out.  This was now part of my routine because I didn’t want to injure myself like I did last year. 

         Last year, I was so hyped to play volleyball that I didn’t stretch and injured myself pretty badly.  I landed wrong after coming down from a spike and twisted my left knee.  My doctor said I didn’t tear anything, but advised me to take some time off and do some physical therapy.  Being a student athlete all my life, I did not want to take any time off from playing.  However, he didn’t sign my return to activity form. 

          As a result, I was automatically put on the disability list and unable to participate in any practices or games.  I began attending physical therapy at the gym I work at.  Fortunately, since I am an employee I didn’t have to pay anything for it.  The downfall is that I have to see Laurel from time to time because she was interning there. 

         There were times when she had to work on or with me and we could both feel the awkwardness.  I know she’s a good person, but I don’t like the fact that she laid a hand on someone she loves.  I didn’t tell Aubrey that I was attending physical therapy at our gym because I didn’t want her to know that I see Laurel outside of work. 

          As much as Aub tries to hide it, she tries her best to keep me and Laurel away from each other.  Only reason being is that she thinks we will strangle each other the moment we are alone, which is half true.  But Laurel and I have a silent agreement that we know the other is a good person, but the situation at hand just shows the worst in us.

         Anyways, my doctor finally signed off on my return to activity form.  Meaning I am actually just coming back to playing for our volleyball and soccer teams at school.  For volleyball I play the position of the setter and for soccer I play as defense.  I am trying to work my way back up from second string to first string. While I was gone a lot of rookies showed potential so I have competition now.  The season starts up in a month so I’m hoping to improve my skills and get rid of my fear of getting injured again, which is why I’m playing pick-up games at work.

         As I am stretching I see Aubrey come out of the employee quarters and walk across to the other side of the gym.  It looks like she’s taking the longer route to get to the front desk, which is where she is assigned for today.  I already knew she was taking a specific route just so she could peek into the daycare, which is where Laurel works now.  She is unaware that I know she does this nearly every day and I am sure that Laurel notices too.  That girl is very observant. 

          When they first broke up Aubrey was fine and enjoying life.  However, that could not be said for Laurel.  When I saw her at work and school she looked like hell.  She was losing weight fast and in an unhealthy way as well.  I may hate her for what she did to Aubrey, but I don’t hate her that much to allow her to destroy herself. 

         So one night I decided to tail her to see what she was up to, but she must have spotted me.  Before I knew it she took so many turns and shortcuts through many neighborhoods that I couldn’t tail her on foot anymore.  That’s how I know she’s very observant.  So she probably knows that Aubrey passes by the daycare every time she’s on shift.

         Honestly, I don’t see why Aubrey’s still hung up on Laurel.  She deserves better than Laurel.  She deserves to be treated with respect and love.  After meeting Laurel for the first time I could tell that she was taking Aubrey for granted.  She worked all the time and just expected Aubrey to wait for her at home.  Laurel worked very long hours, ranging from 3PM – 11PM.  Not to mention that she was at school from 7AM to 2PM.  She had no time for Aubrey at all.  All she ever did was buy Aubrey whatever she wanted and brought her to extravagant places.  Aubrey says that Laurel loved her, but from an outside perspective it doesn’t appear so.

        That all changed when we met each other.  One thing led to another and Aub started hanging out with me more.  She started partying with me and taking week long trips out of the state.  I didn’t mind because I enjoyed Aub’s company, but I guess it bothered Laurel.  Before I knew it, Aubrey nonchalantly told me that they had broken up.

        I was glad they finally broke up.  It meant that I could make my move and set things in motion.  I usually don’t go for females, but after spending so much time with Aub I wouldn’t mind trying it out.  I’ve been meaning to ask her if she was looking to be more than friends, but I was always too shy to do so. There are times when Aub does things that show me she does want to be more than friends, but we all know she is still hung up on Laurel.

        Just thinking of her being hung up on Laurel still enrages me, which is why I came to work with her.  Working with Aubrey allows me to keep an eye on the both of them.  It gives me the chance to spend more time with Aubrey and make sure that she doesn’t fall for Laurel again.  I know it may seem selfish of me, but like I said Aubrey deserves better and that’s me.

        Thoughts like these always end up frustrating me.  Sometimes all I want to do is beat the shit out of Laurel, but I know that won’t do anything.  So instead I decided that I was done stretching and ready to join the others on the court.  I quickly got up and made my way to the court to sub someone out.  Luckily for me, someone was tired from playing and stepped out of the game. 

        At first I couldn’t focus on the game because I was still thinking about Aubrey being hung up on Laurel.  I kept missing passes and serves, which cost the team I was playing on to lose game after game.  Time went by so fast that it I didn’t realize we had been playing for an hour.  We all decided to take a quick break to catch our breath and get something to drink.  After 10 minutes or so everyone was back on the court.

        Once again, my mind was in another place rather than in the present playing volleyball.  Next thing I knew an opponent got a perfect set and spiked it flawlessly.  Unfortunately for me, the ball went straight for my face and I ended up on my back on the floor staring at the ceiling.

* * *

 

         For some reason, work today seemed to pass by quicker than usual.  It seemed like a lot of people wanted to work out today.  All the elliptical and treadmills were in use.  The weight area was so packed my co-worker Matt had to ask people to step out so that we are abiding by regulations set by the fire department.  It has been awhile since the gym was this busy. 

        It was so busy that I didn’t notice our first aid team running into the sports arena.  At this time I was just waiting for the clock to hit 5:00PM so that I could clock out.  But just as I was about to do that, someone from the first aid team was running towards the front desk.

        “Hey Aubrey, you gotta come to the sports arena.”

        “Why?  Did a patron get hurt?  Do you guys need help escorting them outside or something?”

        “Umm.  Someone did get hurt, but it’s not a patron.  It’s Leah.”

        Hearing Leah’s name made me freeze.  Last time she got hurt, she had told me she twisted her knee and was in agonizing pain.  I can’t imagine what it could be this time.  And the fact that neither of us drove here made it worse because I don’t know how I would get her home.

        “Aubrey, are you coming or what?”

        “Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”

        As I made my way towards the sports arena I felt like I wasn’t breathing.  I was very nervous as to what I would find in there.  My mind was fluttered with so many scenarios that I couldn’t think straight.  We finally entered the sports arena and were welcomed with a large group on the volleyball courts.  As we made our way there the crowd began to dissipate.  The path towards Leah was clear and I could see she was lying still on the floor.  I finally reached her and knelt next to her.  It was only then that I realized that Laurel was the one doing the check up on Leah.

       “Idiot.”

       “Shut-up.”

       “Hey Laur, why are you the one checking up on Leah?  I thought you were assigned to the day care and not medical?”

       “I’m the aide assigned to Leah’s case.  So when I heard that she was the one injured I wanted to make sure that her knee had not acted up again.”

        “Oh okay.”

        “Yeah.  Anyways, she’s good to go.  She did not suffer a concussion and her knee did not get aggravated. I do recommend that she stop playing for the rest of the day and head home to rest.  I know that you guys like to go for a run after work, but I highly recommend not doing that.  Do you have a ride home?

        In my head I was thinking of all the possible ways I could get Aubrey home without having to walk.  But nothing came to mind.  My parents were away visiting our family in the next city and won’t be back until the weekend.  And since the whole thing with Laurel happened I lost contact with all my other friends.  I guess I would have to call a cab, even though I barely have much money left after going out with Leah so much these past few months. 

       “I can see that you don’t.  I will give my driver a call and he will escort you home.  He should be here within the next half hour.  Find me in the daycare once he has arrived.”

       “Got it.  Thanks Laur.”

         Damn you Laurel.  No matter how badly I treat you or how sour things get between us, you still manage to show me that you have a good heart.  Before I could say anything, she had left the sports arena and returned to her assigned duties for the day.  I helped Leah up and led her to the break room.  I grabbed her some cold water from the fridge and sat with her at the table.

        “What the hell happened?”

        “Nothing.”

        “Oh yeah, cause lying on the floor is part of volleyball.”

        “I guess I just wasn’t into the game today.  My head was somewhere in the clouds.”

        “Mhmm.  And what were you thinking about?”

        “It’s nothing.”

         “Okay.  I don’t get why you’re acting so rude towards me.  I wasn’t the one lying on the floor earlier.  I wasn’t the one who got hit in the head by a volleyball.  No, that was all you.  So if you don’t want to tell me the truth then I’m just going to go change and leave you to your own thoughts.”

        Without another word, I walked over to my locker, punched in my code, and grabbed my street clothes.  Before I made my way towards the locker room I took one more look back at Leah and saw that she wasn’t even fazed at what I said.  Instead she looked like she was lost in her own thoughts.  Makes me wonder what she’s hiding from me. 

        I shook my head and went to the locker rooms to change.  I took my time changing because I couldn’t shake the fact that what happened to Leah was my fault.  I felt like her mind was occupied with thoughts of me, but I could be wrong. 

        As much as I like Leah as more than a friend, I know for a fact she’s straight.  It’s impossible for her to think of me like that.  I shake my head and make my way back to the break room.  As I opened the door to the break room Laurel was standing by the door and Leah was throwing away her bottle.

       “My driver’s here.  He’s waiting out front.  I’ll escort you guys outside.”

        “Oh okay.  Let me just grab mine and Lea’s stuff.”

         I quickly put my work clothes back in my locker and quickly clocked out.  I grab my backpack and Lea’s duffle bag.  I tried helping her up, but she just pulled away from me.  I was in shock at her reaction and as I looked at her face she seemed upset.  I had to get to the bottom of this, but not in front of Laurel.  That would just be way too awkward.  Even having Laurel’s driver bring us home is awkward enough.  I have never met Laurel’s driver.  He always just picked up or dropped off Laurel at my place or the place where we were meeting.  I didn’t even think Laurel could afford a driver since she lives on her own.

        Anyways we started making our way through the gym and it’s as if I can feel the eyes of all our co-workers following our every movement.  As much as we tried to not bring our personal lives into the work place, somehow the news and tension of mine and Laurel’s break up was known the following day.  So seeing the three of us walking together must be a grand sight for all of them.  We finally got outside and a black van with very tinted windows was waiting.  A man dressed in a black leather jacket and black pants was holding the door open for us.

        “Jay this is Aubrey Jaden Parker and Leah Madison Saunders.  Ms. Saunders sustained a head injury today and it is best for her not to walk home or be home alone.  So please escort Ms. Parker and Ms. Saunders to the Parker residence.  That is the home you always dropped me off at before.  Understood?”  Laurel ordered.

         “Understood ma’am.  Hello Ms. Parker and Ms. Saunders.  Please step right in and buckle yourselves in.”  Jay said without hesitation.

         Without another word, we did as Jay said.  As we were buckling ourselves in he closed the door.  And through the window I saw him walk Laurel back to the entrance of the gym and hold the door for her.  I thought that they were finished talking, but I guess Laurel had more things to say to him.  I looked away from them and turned my attention to Leah.  Her face still bore the expression of anger.  I wanted to confront her already, but I decided to just wait until we arrived home.  _Boy this night couldn’t get more awkward._

* * *

 

         “Jay you do know who’s in the car with you right?” 

         “Yes I do.  Can’t believe I finally got to meet THE Aubrey. Oh I can’t wait to tell Crys!”

         “Very funny.  Sorry for all the formalities earlier.  I hope I didn’t disrespect you by making it seem like you’re my servant.”

         “It’s okay.  I understand why you had to do that.  How come you just don’t go home with me already?  Won’t they let you off early because you’re taking them home?  You know we have training tonight.”

         “I wish.  But the kids left in my care, have parents who requested that I be the one to watch them.  So it’s bad for business if I just leave for personal reasons.  I know about training.  Don’t worry, I’ll be there.  I’m guessing Crys told you to remind me since you were coming to meet me?”

         “And you would win that bet.  She’s not your Alpha Sergeant or your beloved for nothing.”

         “True.  Hey, can you make sure you escort them all the way to the door?  I just want to make sure everything is fine.  Let me know if you sense anything out of the ordinary on the way there or even around her place.”

         “Yeah I will.  Okay, I’ll see you later.  Don’t be late or Crys will have your head on a silver platter tonight.”

          There are many words that could describe the ride home.  Some include quiet, awkward, tense, and any synonym of those words.  I was relieved the moment Jay pulled into my driveway.  As soon as the van was parked, Jay got out of the driver seat and went to the passenger door and opened it.  He helped us get down and even grabbed our backpacks and Leah’s duffle bag.  I tried to tell him that I could carry it all, but he insisted in doing it.  I reluctantly let him do it just so we could get in the house quicker.  He walked us all the way to the front door and even inside.

          “Okay, well thank you for the ride home.  And please send my thanks to Laurel as well.  So I’m not sure how all this works.  Do I tip you or something?”

         “No, ma’am.  It’s okay.  I’m not that kind of driver.  Well I’ll leave you two be.  Have a pleasant evening and take care.”

         “Thank you.”

          With that I shut the door and watched him drive away.  I turned around and to my surprise Leah was nowhere to be found.  I went straight upstairs and found her lying down on the couch in front of the television.  She had already turned it on to the NBA game and was so focused on the game that she didn’t even hear me approach.  I sat down by her feet and was in the process of putting her feet on my lap like we usually do, but once again she pulled away.

        “Okay.  What the hell is wrong?  You’ve been acting really strange since we left the sports arena and more so since we left the break room.”

         “It’s nothing.”

         “I don’t get you.  Why are you acting like this towards me?  What did I do wrong?  I’m not the one who got hit in the face with a volleyball and was lying on the ground.”

         “You wouldn’t understand.  Please, just leave me alone.”

        “Fine.  You want to be alone, then I’ll leave you alone.” 

         With that I got up and went to the kitchen. Out of frustration I banged both my fists on the counter.  What had I done wrong?  Sure I let Laurel’s driver take us home.  But what was I supposed to do?  I didn’t have my car and neither did she.  And I didn’t even have money to get a taxi or anything.  What was I supposed to do?  Just as I was about to bust out in tears, I felt something nudge me below.  I looked down and saw that it was Buzz, my Shiba Inu.  I squatted down and gave him a tight hug.  That small hug and the smile on his face took all my worries away.

        I made some hot chocolate for myself and Leah.  I put hers on the table in front of the couch and I went to sit at the dining table near the window.  As I was staring out the window I let my thoughts flow freely.  I thought of what lies for me in the future.  I should have been graduating this year, but instead I have been pushed back another three years. I tried so hard last quarter to get good grades, but for some reason all my hard work didn’t pay off.  Then before I knew it I was thinking about my first year in college with Laurel. 

         I look at the clock and see that it is almost 6:30PM and getting very dark outside.  And just as I was wondering if she made it home okay I see movement outside my window.  I look down as the figure looks up.  To my surprise it was Laurel. 

         This was the second time in a year that we had locked eyes.  I gave her my “I miss you” smile and she returned it with her “I miss you too” smile.  Without a second’s hesitation I decided to go out and invite her in, especially since she did us a huge favor and had her driver bring us home.  Which brought about the question, why is she walking if she has a driver? 

         Just as I turned away from the window, Leah got up from the couch.  I decided I would deal with her later and tried to make a dash for the door.  But she was quicker than I was and before I knew it, she was standing in front of me.

        “I’m sorry for how I was acting.  I shouldn’t have taken my frustrations out on you.  I treated you like a punching bag, and I apologize for that.  There’s just a lot going through my head and my emotions are all up in the air that I just don’t know what to do with them right now.  Forgive me?”

        Before I answered her I looked back out the window.  It was less than a minute that I had turned my attention away from the window and Laurel was already gone.  My chance to begin mending the broken bridge between us was lost once again.  It just seems like I can never do anything right, especially with Laurel.  Why is the world so against us interacting with one another?

       “Aubrey?  Hello?”

        “Oh yeah.  Course I forgive you.”

        And just like that everything with Lea seemed back to normal.  She turned to walk back towards the couch, but stopped and extended her hand towards me.  I grabbed my hot chocolate and took her outstretched hand.  I sat at the edge of the couch while she lied down and placed her head on my lap. We continued watching the NBA game, but as we were watching it seems that my focus was elsewhere now.  All I could think about was Laurel.

* * *

         “Reaper we’ve deployed the bombs throughout the college campus and the nearby neighborhoods.  They are on a remote frequency that can be set off by a press of this button. Here you are Sir.”

          “Thank you Chris.  How many men do we have?”

          “I believe 30 fighters will be accompanying you to the campus, 30 spread out in the nearby neighborhoods, and 40 waiting here to serve as reinforcements should anything go wrong. That’s a total of 100 fighters at your disposal.”

         “Weapons?” 

         “Each man is equipped with a hand gun and rifle.  We do not have the luxury of bulletproof vests though.  So there is a high probability that we will lose many fighters if we are to encounter any obstacles along the way.”

         “Does there seem to be any indication of any obstacles?”

         “We’ve done background checks on each student and staff member.  There are no files that have been red flagged.  There are a few that have histories in martial arts, archery, sword training, and even gun certificates.  But I doubt any of them would be stupid enough to stand up to 30 people with guns.”

         “Are the fighters aware of their orders?”

         “Yes.  They are aware that they are to shoot at will once the introduction has been made.”  He said with a hint of uncertainty.

         “Your voice falters.  Something troubles you.  Speak freely.”

         “There is one fighter who is hesitant about the orders, but I shall exchange words with her.  She is no threat to the plan.”

          “Bring her forth.”

          “Sir, I will handle it.  There’s no need for violence.”

          “Are you questioning my motives?”

          “Of course not.  I apologize for my disrespect.  I will retrieve her now.”

          “I have brought her Sir.”

         I turned to face the entrance of the tent and was welcomed by a young brunette with blue eyes.  The brunette seemed awfully young to be in my company of fighters, which means her skills must be more than exceptional for her to be here.  Just by looking at her face I could tell that she has not even seen a battle and yet she will be going to war tomorrow.  It is no wonder why she is uncertain of her orders.

          “What is your name young one?”

          “Eliza.”

          “I hear that you are bothered by your orders to kill at will.”

          “Umm no Sir.  I will do as I am told.  I do not know where you heard that piece of information from, but I am not bothered by it at all.”

          “Lying to me is of no use.  I can tell by your facial expression and tone of voice that you are lying.  I cannot afford to have liars or those with a troubled heart within my ranks.  I am sorry young one, but I must use you as an example to all.  Take her to the courtyard.”

          The girl didn’t even scream out in defiance.  She just hung her head and kept her mouth shut.  She knew there was no use in trying to negotiate with Reaper.  Everyone knew that the boy born from death was as ruthless as his father.  Any sign of defiance or weakness resulted in battery or death.  It was only when chains were tightly clasped on her wrists that the girl bothered to look up.

          Reaper stood in front of her to address the other fighters while I stood behind her with a whip in my hand.  I felt sorry for the girl.  She was new to this lifestyle.  It wasn’t her fault that her first mission was an important one led by Reaper.

         “For those of you that have any doubts on carrying out your duties tomorrow, be aware of the consequences.  Eliza here has shown that she is unsure whether she can kill people at will.  For that she will be severely punished.”

         He nodded at me, which was a signal to begin the girl’s punishment.  I took the cat o’ nine tails whip and began slashing at Eliza’s back.  The first slash tore open the girl’s side and she screamed in pain.  Blood quickly began dripping down the girl’s side.  If it were not for the chains clasped on her wrists, this girl would probably be on the floor clutching to her side.  I looked back at Reaper to see if one lash would be enough, but he just continued to stare at me.  So I continued to hit the girl lash after lash after lash. 

         After six lashes Reaper finally put his hand up signaling for me to stop.  I looked at the girl and saw that she had grown unconscious.  Blood was dripping from nearly every crevice of her body.  I thought that her torture was over, but Reaper thought otherwise.  He took her left arm in both her arms and applied opposing forces to it.  The next thing we heard was an ear piercing scream as Eliza woke up due to the pain from her arm being broken. 

         With that, Reaper got off the stage and returned to his tent.  One of my men and I unclasped the chains and carried the girl to her tent.  We laid her on her stomach.  I ordered my two of my men to man the tent as I went to grab some towels, hot water, and medicinal herbs. 

         Upon my return to her tent I dipped a towel in the hot water and began wiping the blood off her back.  It took a while before all the blood was cleared, but when it was her wounds were prominent.  They were deep and long lacerations that were not clotting.  I quickly took the medicinal herbs and created a sticky paste.  Then I began spreading it all over her back.  She winced as my fingers and the medicinal paste touched her wounds, but her face soon relaxed as the medicine began to work its magic.  Once that was finished I reset her arm and casted it.

          I felt sorry for the girl, but this was better than death.  Someone is clearly watching over this girl because normally Reaper would have killed her in front of everyone as a warning to others.  This is something I know well. 

         My wife was compassionate towards other team members, but brutal to enemies.  Reaper saw this act of compassion as an act of defiance and had her whipped, burned, and dismembered in front of all.  All of which ended up killing her due to shock and loss of several pints of blood.  Since then I have made a promise to myself that I would end Reaper’s life one way or another.  Hopefully, that day will be tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments? Issues? Let me know...

**Author's Note:**

> Comments, issues? Let me know...


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